Coach It Out’s In The Books

In this series of podcasts, books will be covered that have helped clients, colleagues and acquaintances. Much in the same way there are official book clubs, recommendations and ideas are always coming up or being exchanged based on how they might contribute to development of any kind, whether it be leadership, professional, or personal.

What’s great is that even though Coach It Out’s main focus is leadership, so much goes into leadership that the books don’t necessarily need to be about leadership, specifically. There are so many underlying themes and components to leadership that ideas for great books may come up in conversations that might not have anything necessarily to do with the coaching business or leadership itself.

So the books to be covered in this series will come from across different genres including Leadership, Management, Organizational Development, Productivity, Self-Help, Success, etc.

Take a listen below.

Episode 11

mindset: The New Psychology of SuccessHow We Can Learn To Fulfill Our PotentialBy Carol Dweck, Ph.D.

mindset covers the difference between the fixed mindset, in which we limit and paralyze ourselves because we see the need for the result as more important than the process, and the growth mindset, where we see the benefit of the process, continuing to challenge ourselves to grow and develop beyond what we currently know.

The book supplements leadership development as it challenges individuals to consider how they learn, and how they challenge and develop themselves. Leaders (and managers) can consider this for themselves and for those they lead. For managers, specifically, setting the example of the growth mindset and teaching it to others ensures the workplace always works to evolve and grow.

The book is specifically recommended to anyone who is interested in the art of growth and development. How are we pushing ourselves to get better?

Leadership & Self-Deception: Getting Out of the BoxBy The Arbinger Institute

The book speaks to the often deceptive means by which we self-sabotage — or self-betray — ourselves. Many times, sometimes subconsciously, we act against our own best interests in how we interact with others. We easily blame others and deceive ourselves, taking the easy way out when we should know better.

This book supplements leadership development because we need to be aware of all of our shortcomings — both those we know about and those in our blind spots — when it comes to working with others. How many of our negative experiences and interactions might we be inviting upon ourselves?

Specifically, this book is recommended for those who frequently interact or work with others. In short, all of us could benefit from reading the book. It helps us clear our thinking when it comes to how we see, and interact with, others.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck: A Counterintuitive Approach To Living A Good LifeBy Mark Manson

The title of this book says it all. No watered-down translation needed. So much of what holds us back is due to giving too much to the wrong things. Too much time. Too much concern. Too much energy. We stop ourselves from doing what we want and getting what we deserve.

The book relates to leadership development as it covers the attention and energy we use for the endeavors in our life and work. Are we focusing on the right things — the things that really matter — or are we wasting effort on the wrong things?

This book is recommended specifically for those who weigh down or pressure themselves based on what others may think, which may limit their performance and satisfaction in the everyday.

This episode covers a book which calls for us to do things in the face of our fears. It breaks down what the fears might be, where they may come from, and how we can change our thinking. It talks about all the possibilities and opportunities that exist on the other side of that fear.

This book’s theme supplements other resources for leadership as it makes us consider what is holding us back, and what it is holding us back from. We have to work to reprogram the way we look at fear.

This is a book for anyone who is realizing what part, whether small or large, fear has played in their life and work. The opportunity cost due to fear is far too high to ignore.

The Leadership Challenge: How to Make ExtraordinaryThings Happen In Organizationsby James M. Kouzes & Barry Z. Posner

This episode breaks down the book I consider to be, so far, my definitive, go-to leadership bible. Although I had already studied organizational psychology before reading this book, this was the book that got me hooked on leadership and lead me down the path to leadership coaching.

So many other books cover, for the most part, an individual theme and area of leadership, but this book is the most well-rounded representation of what leadership is, what it entails, and what it can be.

This is a book for anyone who is interested in learning about leadership, or refining their own, no matter their age, background, or experience.

Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job and Your Dream Jobby John Acuff

This episode breaks down the book in which the author outlines how he moved from his day job to his dream job.

Too often, many of us know we’re not in the right place, whether it’s work-related or otherwise. At some point, we need to begin making moves, working a little harder, sacrificing a little more to get to where we want to be.

This book is great for anyone who knows what their dream job is, but it also works for those who want to rethink or reframe what it is they have.

How have you begun moving toward what it is you want? What’s your plan?

This episode covers a book which calls for us to understand that leadership is about owning everything that happens under our watch. Whether things go right or wrong, we need to come to terms that it all happens based on what we do and don’t do. Every result is a ripple effect originating from our leadership.

This book’s theme supplements other resources for leadership because it asks to to become self-aware about the true impact we have in every aspect of our life and work. Sometimes, we truly don’t take that into consideration. We may only see the person in front of us, but don’t consider the result from our words on those we don’t see, all the way up to the front line of our effort and mission.

This book is for recommended for every leader and leader-in-the-making. We need to start understanding the impact our actions make, as soon as we can.

This episode covers a book which calls for us to consider the little things we can do to make our greatest impact.

This book’s theme supplements other resources for leadership as it outlines the steps — the smallest of adjustments in our actions — we can take to yield the greatest results and achieve our greatest successes.

This book is for recommended for anyone trying to develop themselves and work on their goals. It can be people across any age group, profession, or industry seeking to refine who they are. It provides great tips and stories for motivation.

This episode covers a book which calls on us to reprogram the way we look at ourselves. It asks us to reconsider how we have been programmed by society, leading to the toxicity which can overtake us.

This book’s theme supplements other resources for leadership because sometimes it does take starting over and relearning how we have approach different topics and environments. The practice can be used across issues, both small and large, and leads us to see a more intrinsic happiness with our values and beliefs. As leaders, we need to be careful about how often we discount our actions and intentions.

This book is for recommended for anyone seeking to look internally to empower their self-development. A component of self-development is analyzing how much of an audience we give to the negativity around us.

This episode covers a book which calls on us to consider we truly are and determine what it is that truly drives us. There’s a disconnect, oftentimes, between someone’s leadership and what their authentic values are. In that void is where a leader may lose their way and effectiveness.

This book’s theme supplements other resources for leadership because it helps us realize the importance of a leader seeing eye to eye with those they lead and others in the environment in which they operate. The demonstration of the authentic self demonstrates strong commitment and deep respect for the mission at hand and its people.

This book is for recommended for anyone seeking to reflect their best self in the leadership work they do and steps they take. The leaders that are limited in their effectiveness and success seem to have lost — or never had — this authentic source of drive and intention in their leadership.

How To Fail At Almost Everything And Still Win Big:Kind Of The Story Of My LIfeBy Scott Adams

This episode covers a book which chronicling the authors journey to success, which was riddled with obstacles and self-admitted failures, as the creator of the Dilbert comic strip. He writes about how he kept moving forward and how there was life after failure.

This book’s theme supplements other resources for leadership because it demonstrates to us what someone usually has to go through to reach their definition of success. There is so much others do see from the outside when it comes to success stories — the countless hours of work, the self-doubt, and the demoralizing rejections.

This book is for recommended for anyone scared of failing. It teaches all of us who may have some self-doubt when it comes to the challenges in our lives to keep pushing forward.

What examples have you seen of a temperamental, emotional #leader delivering great results?
If you did witness such a case, how was it the environment actually came to be successful?
#leadership#organization#boss#manager

Leadership Lesson: There can be no growth or development forward if you’re tolerating too much, unwisely using your precious resources, including energy and reputation, to hold things together or keep appearances.
#leadership#coaching#relationshipsow.ly/YwgW30pnARA

Some quotes can speak to us directly. If there are none that have spoken to you, or driven you to push forward, what advice received in your own experience has motivated you to push forward with everything you have?
#motivation#drive#success#coachingow.ly/lSp030mzXov

@VPsalesBD@AdamMGrant@seanmlandry It's important to define 1:1. They don't necessarily lead to micromanagement. The best ones I've seen are more, "What are you up to? What do you need? What's your plan going forward? Ok, after all that, here's what I can suggest. Let me know what you need before our next 1:1."

My top tip: Before you declare a major, go interview 5 people in the field you'd like to enter after graduation. The industry landscape will shift, but try to get a sense of what awaits you -- the good and the bad.
#college#careers#development#lifeow.ly/csLo30plqA5

Leadership Lesson: We need to understand what it is that keeps us repeating those behaviors, habits, and practices that keep us from our best development and goals.
Is it Fear? Complacency? Distraction? Tradition?
#fear#legacy#development#leadershipow.ly/ccRg50vnrgy

There IS a huge difference between shyness and introversion.
Most times, understanding the root of how you approach life, work, projects, and people, helps you work to harness it, refine it, to make it work for you.
#introversion#shyness#developmentow.ly/d7zC30kP0nv

What do you think? What have you seen? How much have you demonstrated when you've interviewed? Where is that sweet spot between This is who I am and This is what I can do for you?
Resume alone is not enough.
#interview#hiring#coaching#successow.ly/FrGi30pfvn9